419 scam: "Balarabe Zamani"<mail.server@amalbank.com> ATTN.PLEASE ATTEND TO A.S.A.P

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "this business is hitch free " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Balarabe Zamani" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <balarabezamani@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 16:47:00 +0100
Subject: ATTN.PLEASE ATTEND TO A.S.A.P

Amalgamated Bank Ltd.
(AmalBank)
C131/3 FARRAR AVENUE
ACCRA GHANA

Good Day,

My name is Mr. Balarabe Zamani,The Branch Manager, credit and foreign bills of Amalgamated Bank Ltd Accra. (AmalBank)I am writing in respect of a foreign customer of my bank with account number CODE 00001368089 who perished in a plane crash [Ethiopian airline 961] with the whole passengers aboard.Since the demise of this our customer, I personally has watched with keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim his funds of usd.$28.5 m, [twenty-eight million five hundred thousand united states dollars] which has been with my branch for a very long time.
On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the next of kin as no one has come up to be the next of

kin. And the banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay more than Fourteen years, because money will be recalled

to the bank treasury as unclaimed after this period. In view of this I got your contact through a search on the internet. I shall give you 40% of the total sum .
I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hitch free and that you should not entertain any fear as all

modalities for fund transfer can be finalized within five banking days, after you apply to the bank as a relation to the

deceased. When you receive this letter. Kindly send me an e-mail signifying Your decision including your private tel/ fax numbers for quick communication.

Respectfully submitted,

MR.Balarabe Zamani

Manager, Credit and Foreign Bills

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam